


Falls the shadow

by bluebells



Series: The reformed trooper, his murder husband, and the force baby who loves them [2]
Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: M/M, Press F to pay respects to the bounty hunter's sanity, Set during chapter 4 of Family and Home, That scene where Corin gets drunk and tumbles them to the bed, The aftermath from the Mandalorian's POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:41:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21896083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluebells/pseuds/bluebells
Summary: The Mandalorian isn’t sure who he upset in a former life, but he wants a word with them. Strong words, punctuated by the butt of his pulse rifle, because he’s developed a suspicion over the passing months with Corin that he is being punished.Every day brings new frustration: a long look, accidentally lingering touches, Corin wilfully diving into life or limb-threatening situations over and over, then having the nerve to look so deeply confused each time the Mandalorian demands-- pleads with him to please,pleasebe more careful.
Relationships: Baby Yoda & The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV), The Mandalorian/Corin
Series: The reformed trooper, his murder husband, and the force baby who loves them [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1577281
Comments: 48
Kudos: 826





	Falls the shadow

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LadyIrina](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyIrina/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Family and Home](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21758992) by [LadyIrina](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyIrina/pseuds/LadyIrina). 



The Mandalorian isn’t sure who he upset in a former life, but he wants a word with them. Strong words, punctuated by the butt of his pulse rifle, because he’s developed a suspicion over the passing months with Corin that he is being punished.

Every day brings new frustration: a long look, accidentally lingering touches, Corin wilfully diving into life or limb-threatening situations over and over, then having the nerve to look so deeply confused each time the Mandalorian demands-- pleads with him to please, _please_ be more careful.

With each incident, that hot band of tension has curled tighter and tighter in his chest.

_Stop this. Stop running into danger. Stop acting like risking your life doesn't matter._

Why is he like this?

When Corin slumps against his side on that narrow bed, the drunken weight of his limbs pin him down, a warm, heavy thigh is thrown over his, and his mind goes white with static.

Swallowing thickly, heart in his throat, he no longer suspects, he is sure: this is his penance for something.

Why him?

Was he not doing as bid by the Resol’nare? Was he not defending his family? Did he not speak to the child in the tongue of his people? 

Small mercies the child is already asleep. It has a mean knack of laughing at him at the worst of times. Usually, when it’s eaten something he doesn’t approve, or caught him slipping on something, dropping something or walking into a bulkhead because _Corin._ The child’s eyes always squint and its small shoulders bounce with gurgled amusement at his hot glare. So small, but so self-satisfied. 

Sometimes the Mandalorian just wants to smoosh its tiny, delighted face. Whose side was the kid on, anyway?

He hesitates, glancing at the dark head of hair buried face-first in his chest. Could it… could it be he was being punished for… _delaying_ with Corin? For not asking the direct question?

Were the Manda dissatisfied with him?

(He is _not_ a coward.)

His arms hover awkwardly as Corin’s full-body contented sigh soaks into his shirt, and he swears he can feel the heat of it through the thick black material. He shivers with the curl of Corin’s fingers around his waist, something heavy and uncomfortable welling in his chest.

He longs for his armour.

This is not okay.

Jaw steeled, he glares at the ceiling when he feels the man sleepily nuzzle into his chest, an idle murmur buried in the space between them, as though Corin talks to himself, already half-asleep. That heavy, fond feeling in the Mandalorian's chest performs some complicated backflips, and it takes all his will not to tuck and roll away feeling the vibrations of Corin’s voice so excruciatingly close.

Corin's body is so warm.

The Mandalorian's entire being throbs with the thud of his heartbeat. He doesn't know how Corin can rest with the drum of it pounding so loud beneath his ear. He desperately (foolishly) hopes that Corin can't hear it.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the arm hovering above the former trooper settles around his shoulders. The shape of Corin in his hold takes his breath away. And he is not trembling, he's just-- hungry.

The adrenaline from the day's excitement is wearing off and the way Corin fits so perfectly under his arm warms a new heat in his bones. Settling low in his belly, its sinuous threads lead his thoughts like spiced syrup, sweet, thick and lazy. 

He fights the irrational impulse to squeeze the shoulder under his hand, to drag Corin closer. Gather him tight in both arms as he has longed to so many times. To lower his helm, bury himself in Corin's hair and drag in deep lungfuls of him.

To tip his face up, soak in his slow, heavy blink and imagine it is not sleep weighing his eyelids but... something else.

Like a bubble of air breaking the surface of a pond, the memory on Kerrco surges to the fore: Corin against that tree, face turned in to his wrist, warm lips a burning brand against the sensitive skin.

He's being ridiculous.

It sounds so loud when he has to swallow moisture down his throat, daring to sink careful, gloved fingers into the loose mess of that dark, thick hair. It's mesmerising how the low light plays off its texture between his fingers.

Corin hums sleepily, and the Mandalorian's heart skips. But the sound is quiet, a delayed afterthought like a shift of the body settling in to rest, and the Mandalorian knows he is truly asleep now.

His touch is delicate, brushing the hair back from closed eyes, and when Corin exhales long and heavy in contentment, his fingers comb from hairline to crown, over and over, in the lightest caress.

His heart has never felt so light nor raced so fast.

His hand drops to cup Corin's jaw.

A vision swims before his mind's eye: Corin stirring under that familiar touch, lips falling open under his palm, a soft gasp (and he's heard so many of Corin's sounds, he imagines it breathless and pleased); he imagines the way Corin's lips would drag against his skin, holding the Mandalorian's gaze as those lips part for the searing flick of a tongue against his wrist, tasting him, before that mouth sealed against his pulse in a kiss.

He remembers that teasing smile, small and secret, Corin entreating, _"Trust me."_

The heat stirring low in his belly twists hot and sharp, and his helmet thumps back on the pillow with a groan of frustration.

No. No, he can't do this, he can't _think_ like--

Corin grumbles in his sleep when the shape of the Mandalorian abruptly disappears under his cheek, and he slumps to the thin mattress with a gentle _mmph._

Standing over him, breathing hard, the Mandalorian glares down at the nuisance of his life. Fists clenched, he shakes his head to collect himself.

He burns with shame thinking of how Paz and Raga would laugh at him. How the covert would look at him in his station offering their prized Beskar to one who had not accepted the Way.

At least, not yet.

It is not… wrong to want, but he just wants… he needs to be sure before he asks. Before he makes the offer of that pledge. His ears burn to think of it. The band of tension tightens again around his chest.

Corin is too important to get this wrong. The child is relying on him to do this right.

He is not a coward.

He will do this right. And then maybe his punishment will lift, Corin will stop endangering himself and testing the Mandalorian's sanity. It has to because he doesn't know how much more of this he can take.


End file.
